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My Well-Seasoned Life: Celebrating childhood and motherhood

If you’re like me, you remember growing up in a world without cookie dough-flavored desserts. Closeted cookie dough eaters had to settle for sneaking bites from a log of refrigerated Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough. I say sneaking because there were very few mothers out there who would condone the eating of cookie dough — raw eggs and all.

I always thought that cookie dough tasted better than the actual cookies that the dough produced. It was my dream that one day I would grow up and could eat as much cookie dough as I wanted, whenever I wanted. Once I reached adulthood, the temptation faded. As a mother, I let my son lick the beaters whenever I make cakes or cookies. But, there’s something in the back of my mind that always says, “Don’t let him eat too much. There are raw eggs in there.” The nagging guilt of motherhood…

If you’re a cookie dough lover or the mother of a cookie dough lover, I’ve found the perfect solution for you with this new cookbook, “The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook” by Lindsay Landis, published by Quirk Books. Landis has created an egg-free, guilt-free cookie dough recipe that she’s used in dozens of delicious desserts. She also includes variations for vegan/dairy-free and gluten-free dough.

Because there are so many wonderful recipes in this cookbook, I had a difficult time deciding which one to highlight. The chapters include Candy, Cookies and Brownies, Cakes and Pies, Frozen Treats, Indulgent Breakfasts, and Fun Snacks and Party Fare. Don’t worry. If you’re not a chocolate chip cookie dough fan, Landis features other cookie dough recipes such as peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, sugar, and gingerbread.

This cookbook is spiral-bound which makes it easy to use. Each recipe is accompanied by a tempting, full-color photo. It’s always nice to see how your treats should look. You wouldn’t want to mess up a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge, Cookie Dough Billionaire Bars, Cookie Dough Cream Pie, Cookie Dough Crème Brulee, Cookie Dough-Stuffed French Toast or Deep-Fried Cookie Dough Fritters.

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, you may be planning on cooking or going out for a special dinner to celebrate your mother or yourself. A perfect dessert for the occasion would be these Cookie Dough Crispy Treats. Simple ingredients come together to form a rich, chewy dessert reminiscent of your childhood. And, because there are no eggs in the dough, there’s no need for guilt. But, if you’re a mother, I’m sure you’ll find another reason to feel guilty about something.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Cookie Dough Crispy Treats

from “The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook”

For cooking dough:

1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ cup milk or cream

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. mini semisweet chocolate chips

For crispy treats:

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

12 oz. marshmallows (about 44 regular or 7 cups mini marshmallows)

½ tsp. vanilla extract

7 cups crisp rice cereal

Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add vanilla and milk. Mix in flour and salt and beat on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Melt butter and marshmallows together in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Fold in cereal, gently stirring until completely coated.

Press half of the cereal mixture into prepared pan. Spread with cookie dough and then top with remaining cereal, carefully pressing into an even layer. (You may find it easier to use your hands for this step; if so, generously butter them beforehand so the cereal mixture doesn’t stick to your fingers.) Cut into squares. Treats can be stored, loosely covered in the refrigerator, up to 3 days but are best enjoyed within a day of making them.